Mysore/Mysuru: A high-level District Narcotics Committee carried out surprise inspections at medical stores across the city yesterday to check the illegal sale of restricted drugs without prescription and take feedback from pharmacists to fight drug menace in city.

The team, led by Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, who also heads the Committee, along with City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar and Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baladandi, visited several pharmacies to verify compliance with norms under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

The team visited numerous pharmacies to scrutinise bills and prescriptions for medicines listed under Schedules H, H1 and X, which include psychotropic and other regulated drugs.

After visiting the pharmacies, Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy directed all pharmacies to strictly adhere to Government guidelines and ensure that Schedule H, H1 and X drugs are not sold without a doctor’s prescription.

Medical shops have also been instructed to prominently display notices at their entrances stating that these medicines will be sold only against a valid prescription.

Maintain proper records

Reddy said the schedules cover around 50 drugs, including ‘Alprazolam’, ‘Codeine’ and ‘Tapentadol’, and emphasised that pharmacies must maintain proper records of stock, sales, prescriptions and bills, and produce them during inspections.

SP Mallikarjun Baladandi said monitoring compliance is challenging given the large number of pharmacies in the district and added that the Police will step up inspections alongside drug control authorities. Assistant Drug Controllers Wasim-ur-Rehman Sharif and B.V. Ashalatha were present during the drive.

Part of a State-level drive

Speaking to Star of Mysore, pharmacist N. Raghavan of Raghulal & Co. said, “We, pharmacists, welcome the step taken by the Mysuru District Narcotics Committee. The inspection is focusing on the sale of restricted drugs without proper billing or valid prescriptions. Officers after visiting Raghulal and Co., expressed satisfaction with our documentation of over 58,000 items and our compliance with norms, including the appointment of qualified, full-time pharmacists, a requirement often overlooked by smaller outlets.”

Explaining the classifications, Raghavan said Schedule H, H1 and X drugs can be sold only on the prescription of a Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP).

 “We have initiated stringent measures of not dispensing any medicines without a prescription. In fact, there have been cases of people asking for certain drugs without a prescription. In such cases, we have refused to provide them with drugs,” he added.

There is a prescription pads problem…

Doctors beware !

While the officers including Deputy Commissioner, City Police Commissioner and Superintendent of Police and officials of Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration have been visiting pharmacies across the city to check for any irregularities, many have also raised concerns over the easy availability of doctor’s prescription pads leading to misuse.

“Though it is mandatory to mention the Doctor’s name and Karnataka Medical Council (KMC) number in all prescriptions, it would be beneficial if the mobile numbers of doctors, prescribing medicines listed under Schedules H, H1 and X, are also mentioned along with the seal of hospitals so the pharmacies can call the doctor or the hospitals to check for the authenticity of the prescription,” said many pharmacists who spoke to Star of Mysore.

Meanwhile, when asked about possible misuse of prescription pads, DC G. Lakshmikanth Reddy told Star of Mysore, “It is the responsibility of the doctors to ensure their prescription pads are not misused. In case of such cases being reported, we have no other option but to initiate action against such doctors.”